Protective garment



Oct. 17,1939. MEENDSEN 2,176,463

PROTECTIVE GARMENT Filed Nov. 18, 1937 ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 17, 1939 PATENT OFFICE PROTECTIVE GARMENT Frederick H. Meendsen, Garden City, N. Y., assignor to International Paper Company, a corporation of New York Application November 18, 1937, Serial No. 175,201

3 Claims.

My invention relates to protective garments and, more particularly, to protective garments adapted for spectator wear at outdoor functions.

It is well known that certain outdoor functions such as, for example, football games, are attended by spectators who must observe the function from a position exposed to the elements. Under inclement weather conditions, such as rain, snow, or cold, it is highly desirable that the feet and lower leg portions of the spectator may be adequately protected.

Lap robes and blankets are commonly used for this purpose. However, it is necessary to readjust the robe or blanket whenever the spectatorhas occasion to arise from his seat and the same must be folded and carried whenever the spectator desires to change his position within the stadium or arena. Such robes or blankets are relatively expensive and must be carefully preserved between periods of occasional use.

It is an object of my invention to provide garments offering adequate protection for the feet and legs which are inexpensive to manufacture and which may be sold at a price sufficiently low so that a spectator may use them once and discard them.

It is a further object of my invention to provide protective garments of the type described which may be worn without hampering the free movements-of the wearer.

It is a further object of my'invention to provide protective garments of the type described whichmay be .worn by the spectator while he moves about from place to place within or adjacent to the stadium or arena.

According tomy invention a tubular body having a bottom formed therein is provided with a slit which defines a leg encasing portion and a foot encasing portion. This tubular body may preferably comprise an ordinary paper bag having a rectangular bottom. The dimensions of the rectangular bottom should be adequate for the accommodation of the foot of the spectator. The height of the bag should be adequate to provide protection for the major portion of the lower leg of the spectator. It is contemplated that a bag shall be furnished for each of the feet of the spectator and when the bags are secured in position, as contemplated by my invention, the spectator may move about with complete freedom and without danger of dislodging the same. Garments constructed according to my invention will present a neat and sightly appearance generally similar to that of a pair of riding boots.

Other objects and advantages in mode of construction and use will become more apparent from a consideration of the following description of a preferred but obviously not necessarily the only form of my invention taken in connection with the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a protective garment constructed according to my invention, the same being shown in flattened condition;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of my protective garment partially in position upon the foot and leg of a spectator;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of my protective garment in final position upon the foot and leg of a spectator; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a package comprising a pair of protective garments in flattened folded condition and enclosed in a wrapper.

Similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

My invention consists essentially in the construction of a bottomed tubular body of flexible material whereby the same may be easily conformed to the foot and leg of the wearer. I have chosen to illustrate a form of my invention in which an ordinary tubular paper bag, having a rectangular bottom formed therein, is utilized.

Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown a paper bag having a body portion IU of tubular conformation and having the usual side seam II and a rectangular bottom portion l2 which may be folded fiat upon one face of the bag body, as shown in Fig. 1. While for purposes of illustration I have shown one form of bottom formation I 2, it is obvious that any known form of bottom may be utilized if so desired.

Paper bags of the type shown in the drawing are ordinarily creased along the edges [3 and 40 I4 and are adapted to be opened for the formation of a tubular body having a rectangular or similarly shaped bottom. Bags of other types, as for example those having gussets formed in their edges, may be employed for the purposes of my invention.

According to my invention, I provide a line of separation, such as a slit l5, which extends inwardly of the bag body from a point on the creased edge [3 a short distance above the bottom of the bag. The slit [5 is preferably angularly disposed whereby it extends upwardly as well as inwardly of both walls of the bag body. As seen in Fig. 2, the edges [6 and ll of the slit I5 are adapted to be separated whereby the portion of the bag body l extending above the slit I5 may be folded upon itself to define a body Ill whose circumference is less than that of the bag body as a whole. This portion of the bag body is designed to be folded, as described, toform a. tubular portion conforming generally to the leg of the wearer. The length of the slit I5 is such as to terminate substantially at the instep of the wearer whereby the leg encasing portion may be snugly and neatly fitted to the leg of the wearer.

The portion of the bag body extending below the slit I5 is adapted to be folded upon itself to form an extension Ill for the accommodation of the forward portion of the wearers foot. This portion of the bag body may be folded upon itself to a greater or less extent for a substantial conformation with the foot of the wearer.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a simple and inexpensive manner of converting an ordinary paper bag into a foot and leg protector which may be simply and rapidly adjusted into position to conform with the foot and leg of the wearer.

Any suitable means may be availed of to secure my protective garment in position upon the wearer. For example, I have illustrated the use of ordinary adjustable tie-fasteners for this purpose. As shown in Fig. 1, fasteners l8 and I9 are applied near the edge of that portion of the leg encasing portionwhich is folded upon itself when the garment is adjusted to the wearer. Fasteners 20 and 2| are secured to the body portion of the garment and strings 22 and 23 may be provided to adjustably connect the fasteners I8, 20' and I9, 2| respectively in a well-known manner. Fasteners 2 4 and 25 and a string 26 are provided to hold the foot portion of my garment in adjusted position upon'the foot of the wearer. In Fig. 3, the garment is shown fastened in an adjusted position. It will thus be seen that my garment may be simply and rapidly adjusted to the wearer and secured in adjusted position. While for purposes of illustration I have described one particular form of fastening means, it is obvious that other forms of fastening means may be employed.

It will be further obvious that although I have defined the line of separation l5 as a slit, this line may comprise a series of perforations or other form of weakening whereby the leg encasing portion Ill and foot encasing portion Ill may be separated by the simple expedient of tearing the bag along the line l5,

In Fig. 4, I have shown a unit package in which form my protective garments may be conveniently merchandised. In this figure, a pair of bags constructed according to Fig. 1 may be folded upon their bottoms and flattened into compact form. The pair of folded bags may be conveniently encased in a tubular wrapper 21 which may bear instructions for the use of the garments as well as any desirable advertising text.

While in order to comply with the patent statutes the above detailed description of a preferred form of my invention has been made, it is obvious that modifications and variations as to details may occur to those skilled in the art. It is my intention that the above description shall be taken in an illustrative rather than in a limiting sense and that my invention shall be limited only within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A. protective garment comprising a tubular body having a bottom formed integrally therewith, said body having a slit therein defining a leg encasing portion and a foot encasing portion, said leg encasing portionbeing foldable upon itself to substantially conform to the leg of the wearer, said foot encasing portion being foldable upon itself to substantially conform to the foot of the wearer, and means for securing said portions in conforming position.

2. A protective garment comprising a single sheet of paper formed into a tubular body having an integral bottom, said body having a slit therein defining a leg encasing portion and a foot encasing portion, said leg encasing portion being foldable upon itself to substantially conform to the leg of the wearer, said foot encasing portion being foldable upon itself 'to substantially conform to the foot of the wearer, and means for securing said portions in conforming position.

3. A protective garment comprising a paper bag, said bag having a slit therein defining a leg encasing portion and a foot encasing portion, said leg encasing portion being foldable upon itself to substantially conform to the leg of the wearer, said foot encasing portion being foldable upon itself to substantially conform to the foot of the wearer, and means for securing said portions in conforming position.

FREDERICK H. MEE'NDSEN. 

